Spilling Ink has three parts and a total of thirty-one short sections and an appendix. Though there are two authors, Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter, only one pens each section. The authors interview each other in the end which reveals interesting information about how they got started as writers.
The “I Dare You” activities seem like they’d be useful in my classes. My favorite so far is the one on page 29 that helps you get to your character’s heart desire. Here are the steps:
1. Ask students to list things they want (e.g., a million dollars tax free, to sleep in everyday, to play the X-box until eyes bleed, even on school nights).
2. Pick one thing on the list they want the most (e.g., to play the X-box until eyes bleed, even on school nights).
3. Jot down three or four ways (encourage creativity) they could obtain the item (e.g., get straight “A’s” and try to use this as leverage; play the X-box while parents are working late; play the X-box when your parents think you’re doing homework).
4. Write a story in which a character wants the item and tries to get it several times, but can’t.
What about you? How do you teach students (or your children) to develop stories?
The “I Dare You” activities seem like they’d be useful in my classes. My favorite so far is the one on page 29 that helps you get to your character’s heart desire. Here are the steps:
1. Ask students to list things they want (e.g., a million dollars tax free, to sleep in everyday, to play the X-box until eyes bleed, even on school nights).
2. Pick one thing on the list they want the most (e.g., to play the X-box until eyes bleed, even on school nights).
3. Jot down three or four ways (encourage creativity) they could obtain the item (e.g., get straight “A’s” and try to use this as leverage; play the X-box while parents are working late; play the X-box when your parents think you’re doing homework).
4. Write a story in which a character wants the item and tries to get it several times, but can’t.
What about you? How do you teach students (or your children) to develop stories?
